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People often ask me how I started in Oriental Medicine. Interestingly, a psychic told me I was to be doing this work when I was in my early twenties. It was my first visit to someone with this skill, and he said he could see a blue light that emanated from my hands, and had I ever considered doing acupressure. At the time, I said in a small voice "what's that?" Five years later, I found the cassette tape from the reading. I had forgotten his prophecy.
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Living on Lasqueti Island, population 250, no electricity, no paved roads and passage by foot ferry only, a man had come to our island and taught a class in acupressure. Little did I know that I was being guided to find my life's purpose. Listening to the tape I had found while doing the dishes, I was so surprised, I had to rewind to hear it again. The acupressure class changed my life, as I became impassioned by Oriental Medicine. I truly believe it has been my destiny and I am so grateful to find, twenty-six years later, I'm still passionate about what I do. What a privilege! I don't know if I maintained his comment in my psyche and 'forgot', and was guided by that comment, or if it was destiny ~ I think possibly some of both. Regardless, the synchronicity of that statement and someone showing up to teach in such a remote environment is truly amazing to me. I took all the classes I could, became a teacher, and ultimately came to further studies ~ acupuncture and the full compliment of oriental modalities. I was introduced to not only the complexity of the medicine, but also to a lifestyle that encompasses diet, Qi Gong, and Taoist philosophy, whose principles guide my work. Through the medicine, I've been able to embrace principles of mindfulness, unity of body/mind/spirit, and the practice of loving presence. I call what I do "spiritually based" acupuncture. One of the ways we take care of ourselves is through the stories we tell ourselves about 'who we are' and 'how the world is'. It's the meaning that we have attached to our life experiences that shapes our current perception. Often these are core beliefs that are no longer in service to the person. In this style of acupuncture, we have the opportunity to help people re-write their story by referring to the imagery inherent in each point name that both reflects back to the person the story they tell themselves, but also offers the opportunity to perceive themselves in a more balanced way. The Taoist view is that our natural, balanced state is one of joy and laughter, of being happy with who one is and how life is. When we are truly healthy in body, mind and spirit, we can know and express the joy of our true self. That is the intention that I hold for everyone.
Samantha "We can't change the past, but we can change the way we perceive it and come into a new relationship with our history." "The creation of the healing relationship (in therapy) requires that the therapist be a certain kind of person, a person who is naturally compassionate, able to be radically present, able to give full attention to another, able to see deeply into people and to understand what is seen. All that takes a certain state of mind. We would call that state...Loving Presence." Ron Kurtz, Hakomi: Body-Centered Psychotherapy
